CALHOUN: Calhoun Community gathers together for injured teen

By Editor | November 28, 2023 |

By Cory Davenport

A 16-year-old Calhoun County teenager named Sam was airlifted following a car crash on Friday, Nov. 24. His car was totaled and he was flown directly to St. Louis Children’s Hospital with numerous injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, a knocked-out front tooth and multiple scrapes and bruises. From the hospital, he called Ashley Droege, the mother of one of his best friends who views him as a second son.
“….When I spoke to him while he was in the hospital, the first thing he said was that he needed to get back to work, so that he would be able to buy a car, pay the expenses, etc,” she said in a message. “That broke my heart, and ultimately that conversation with him is what told my heart to make the [Facebook post] in the first place.”
The post in question was put online on Nov. 26. It is on Droege’s personal page and features an image of two hands embracing with a quote from Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. who was a force in the Civil Rights Movement herself. It stated “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” Droege herself told her followers and anyone who sees it via “share” about Sam, describing him as a “very special young man,” who has been working multiple jobs to provide for himself and his family. She described him as “the kind of kid who would give the shirt off his back to help someone in need.” She also posted her personal Venmo (Ashley-Droege-1) for donations.
As of Tuesday morning, Droege said she has raised around $9,000 from generous folks across Calhoun County and Facebook. Outside of the Venmo, she is also collecting cash donations throughout the day.
“The outpouring of donations, love, and support has been overwhelming – more than I could have ever imagined,” she said in a message. “We have raised over $9,000 so far for Sam. He truly has made an impact on everyone he has met. I have not officially made an announcement for Sam, although, given the number of shares on Facebook, I am sure he has seen the post.”
Currently, the post she made has more than 140 shares. She is hoping the community action and outpouring of generosity may help Sam come home to a better car and some space to heal. Droege said Sam cares for his family, including his mother who is blind.
“Given the amount of generosity, now I am hopeful to not only get him a reliable vehicle, but to give him some breathing room to focus on healing and his health,” she said.
Her goals as of now are a new vehicle, an annual insurance premium, and some living expenses. Droege said she was unsure what the medical expenses will look like for Sam and his family at this moment. Her goal is to make life as easy as she can while she can.
“Also, Sam has not had the easiest family life,” she added. :His mom is blind and has many health issues, so he has grown up so fast and taken responsibility for financially providing for his family.”
In the comments section of her post on Facebook, several folks who know the teen speak highly of his spirits and his work ethic. Words such as “kind,” “hard-worker,” and “friendly” are constants among folks who know him.
“It has been unbelievable, reading through the kind things everyone has said about Sam,” she said. “Watching the donations flow in, it has been an emotional week.”